With just over two months left until the parliamentary elections, scheduled for September 18, the campaign season should be in full swing. But many political analysts and potential voters point to general insecurity as well as to interference from powerful organizations and individuals as factors impeding the development of strong and substantive elections campaigns.

In Kandahar, a Taliban stronghold that has become a main focus of the international forces, there are few signs that an election is looming. Some scattered posters hang in areas of Kandahar city, but almost no campaign rallies or other events have been held.

“Our campaigns have already started but they are not very effective due to the security situation,” said Khan Mohammad Mujahed, a candidate for the lower house of Parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.

One female candidate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told www.afghanistanvotes.com that in addition to safety concerns, candidates had to contend with interference from powerful figures.

“Some government officials are trying to influence the campaign,” she said.

In Nangarhar, a province on Afghanistan’s eastern border with Pakistan, security has also played a negative role in the course of the campaign. Nangarhar, which had been relatively stable over the past few years, is now experiencing an upsurge in attacks by the armed opposition, including one abortive strike on Jalalabad airfield in late June.

“Recently security has deteriorated in Nangarhar,” said Saima Khogiani, who is campaigning there.

“Female candidates cannot campaign in isolated areas of the province,” she added.

Even in the relatively secure North, the campaign is flagging. Rallies and other campaign events do not attract the large numbers of supporters they did in the past.

“We no longer trust the empty promises of the candidates,” said Shakiba, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of Balkh province.

More than 2500 hopefuls are running for 249 Wolesi Jirga seats. This includes over 400 female candidates, who will compete for the 68 seats reserved for women in the Parliament. The electoral system is Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV), meaning all candidates run as independents, rather than relying on party affiliation.

According to many political analysts, this has held back the development of a strong parliamentary system, instead enabling those with money and influence to come to the Parliament, while closing out those without powerful connections.

“Those with money and power think they can easily come to the Parliament,” said political analyst Waheed Mojdah. “Poor candidates with no political connections are not very optimistic. They are already questioning the transparency of the elections, and do not want to spend their money for nothing.”

President Hamid Karzai and his powerful brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, the head of Kandahar’s Provincial Council, are openly supporting some candidates, said Mojdah. In addition, other influential political figures are also promoting their own picks for Parliament, while financial powerhouses such as banks and other institutions are throwing their support behind candidates they feel will further their interests.

In Kabul as well, the campaign has been slow to start. In contrast to the first parliamentary campaign in 2005, when there was barely a square meter of space in the capital that was not adorned with posters and other election advertising, the city is fairly empty of campaign literature.

According to Kabul Municipality Media Officer Mohammad Ishaq, the city had specified particular areas in 22 districts where candidates can hang posters and run their campaigns. This was not done to place barriers in the way of candidates, he emphasized; rather it was to keep the city clean.

He dismissed rumors that city officials have been preventing certain candidates from hanging posters, or taking bribes to allow the campaigns to go ahead.

“Kabul Municipality does not take money to allow candidates to display their posters,” he said. “Companies pay for billboards; that is all.”

Candidates are watching their campaign finances, and are trying to economize on both money and time. Some say they are worried about voter fatigue, and do not want to overload the electorate with campaign events too far in advance.

“If I were to start my campaign now I could not keep it up effectively all the way until Election Day,” said Engineer Ahmad Reza, who is running for Parliament from Kabul. “People get tired of the campaign, and candidates lose their effectiveness. I will start my campaign closer to polling day to keep it fresh and effective.”